Officer of the Guard, France, 16th Century, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph, 'Officer of the Guard, France, 16th Century,' was printed by the Kinney Tobacco Company in the late 19th century as promotional material for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Consider the material: paper, mass-produced through industrial processes, printed with multiple layers of ink. Each layer would have required a separate printing plate, carefully aligned to create the final colorful image. This was a far cry from the hand-painted portraits of actual 16th-century officers! The card's small size and mass-produced nature speak volumes about its purpose: disposable advertising. These cards, distributed with tobacco products, were designed to be collected and traded, creating a direct link between consumerism, leisure, and historical romanticism. The image itself is a product, packaged and sold like the cigarettes. Thinking about the card in terms of materiality, making, and context allows us to understand the relationship between the artwork and modes of production. It highlights the cultural values and aspirations of the time, blurring the line between commerce and art.